Kryptonite
Kryptonite is a fictional material created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster in 1934 for their comic book series Superman. The element is Superman's weakness. It is from the ore form of a radioactive element (prior to Crisis on Infinite Earths) or compound (post-''Crisis'') from Superman's home planet of Krypton. Kryptonite should not be confused with the actual element krypton, which is a noble gas. First mentioned in The Adventures of Superman radio show in June 1943, Kryptonite has been featured in a variety of forms and colors (each with its own effect) in DC Comics publications and other media including: feature films, television series, and novelty items such as toys and trading card sets. Superman and all other Kryptonian characters are susceptible to Kryptonite's radiation which can be blocked by adequate shielding or long distance. The popularity of Superman and his vulnerability to Kryptonite has led to the generic usage of the term in popular culture as a reference to an individual's weakness, similar to "Achilles' heel". In the Modern Age of Comic Books, it is established that Kryptonite can also affect non-Kryptonians though at a much slower rate, causing humans to develop acute radiation syndrome or superhuman abilities. Origin suffering from Kryptonite poisoning, courtesy of villains Metallo and Titano. Action Comics Annual #10 (March 2007). Art by Art Adams and Alex Sinclair.]] An unpublished 1940 story titled "The K-Metal from Krypton", written by Superman creator Jerry Siegel, featured a prototype of Kryptonite. It was a mineral from the planet Krypton that drained Superman of his strength while giving humans superhuman powers. The mineral known as Kryptonite was introduced in the story arc "The Meteor from Krypton" in June 1943 on ''The Adventures of Superman'' radio series. Since radio shows had to be performed live when Clayton "Bud" Collyer, who played Superman/Clark Kent, wanted to take a vacation from the series Superman was placed in a Kryptonite trap. A stand-in groaned with pain for several episodes until Collyer came back from his vacation. Kryptonite was incorporated into the comic mythos with Superman #61 (November 1949). Editor Dorothy Woolfolk stated in an interview with [[Florida|"Florida]] Today" in August 1993, that she "felt Superman's invulnerability was boring". However, this claim has been disputed in the comic book world. Kryptonite gradually appeared more frequently. Causing science fiction writer Larry Niven to theorize in tongue-in-cheek fashion that Krypton was in fact a Dyson sphere or a cold neutron star and that this was the underlying reason for so much of the mineral finding its way to Earth courtesy of meteor showers. In an effort to reduce the use of Kryptonite in storylines, all known forms on Earth were transmuted into "k-iron" in a 1971 story arc titled "The Sandman Saga". Forms: colors and effects Various forms of the fictional material have been created over the years in Superman publications. and Jimmy Olsen discuss the mineral Kryptonite, with the jewel variant making its debut in Action Comics #310 (March 1964). Art by Curt Swan.]] Other varieties of the material have appeared but have been revealed to be hoaxes, such as "Yellow" (Action Comics #277, June 1961), "Kryptonite Plus" (Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #126 Jan. 1970) and "Blood" (52 #13, Aug. 2006). In other media Television Live-action * The Adventures of Superman (1952-1958) featured Kryptonite in the episodes "Panic in the Sky", "The Defeat of Superman" (both 1953), "Superman Week", "The Deadly Rock" (both 1955), "The Magic Secret", "The Gentle Monster", and "All That Glitters" (all in 1958). *''Superboy'' (1988-1992) featured Green Kryptonite the episodes: "Kryptonite Kills" and "Metallo" (both 1989), "Bride of Bizarro" (1990), "Kryptonite Kid" (1991), and "Obituary for a Super-Hero" (1992). The Red variety was featured in the episodes: "Super Menace" (1990). A Bizarro White variant was featured in the episode "The Battle With Bizarro" (1989), which heals the title character. *''Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman'' (1993-1997) featured Green Kryptonite in the episodes "The Green, Green Glow of Home", "Barbarians at the Planet", "The House of Luthor" (all 1993) "Metallo" (1994), "Top Copy" (1995), and "Battleground Earth" (1996). The Red variety was featured in the episodes "Individual Responsibility", "Ultrawoman" (both 1995), and "Lethal Weapon" (1997). * Smallville (2001-2011) featured Kryptonite on a regular basis. A large quantity of the Green variety descends to Earth in a meteor shower arriving in the town of Smallville, Kansas with the spaceship containing the infant Kal-El. The material is colloquially referred to by Smallville residents as "meteor rock", but is eventually called "Kryptonite" by Clark Kent once he discovers his origins ("Rosetta", Season 2, 2003). Aside from being harmful to Clark Kent, the mineral produces bizarre changes in flora and fauna. It also occasionally bestows metahuman abilities on humans depending on the circumstances of their exposure to it, such as a girl treated for a rare bone disease acquiring shapeshifting powers. These people are commonly known by the inhabitants of Smallville as "Meteor Freaks". The Green variety of the mineral appears in several episodes every season, although other varieties appear, including: Red in "Red" (2002) "Exodus", "Exile", "Phoenix" 2003), "Unsafe" (2005), "Crimson" (2007), "Upgrade" (2010). Black, formed when superheating green kryptonite in "Crusade" (2004), "Doomsday" (2009). Silver in "Splinter" (2005). Blue in "Blue" (2007), "Persona" (2008), "Kandor" (2009), "Salvation" (2010), "Harvest" (2011). Gem in "Persuasion" (2010). Gold in "Prophecy" and "Finale" (2011). Smallville was the first appearance of a Black Kryptonite that would split a person into their good and evil halves, before later being brought into the comic canon in Supergirl #2 (vol. 5, Oct. 2005). *''Supergirl'' (2015–present) featured Green Kryptonite in episodes: "Pilot", "Stronger Together", "Hostile Takeover" (all in 2015), "For the Girl Who Has Everything" (2016), "Distant Sun" (2017). DEO manages to synthesize and create Blue Kryptonite is featured in the episode "Bizarro" (2016). The Red Kryptonite featured in the episode "Falling" (2016) as a failed attempt to recreate Green Kryptonite by Maxwell Lord. Silver Kryptonite is featured in the episode "Nevertheless, She Persisted (2017). The Season 2 episode "The Adventures of Supergirl" reveals that the D.E.O discovered Kryptonite and was first named by J'onn. Animation * The Brady Kids (1972-1973) featured Green Kryptonite in the episode "Cindy's Super Friend". Which shows Clark Kent attempting to become Superman in the Kids' clubhouse, only to be incapacitated by a piece of Green Kryptonite as part of a rock collection. * Super Friends (1973-1986) features Kryptonite in the episodes "Superfriends: Rest in Peace" ("Krypton Steel"); "Darkseid's Golden Trap" (Gold); "Terror From the Phantom Zone" (Blue, Green, and Red); "Return of the Phantoms" (Green); "Rokan: Enemy from Space" (Green); "Bazarowurld" (Red and Blue); "Revenge of Bizarro" (Red and Blue); Will the World Collide?" (Green); "Uncle Mxyzptlk" (Red); "The Death of Superman" (Green); "Batman: Dead or Alive" (Green). * Superman (1988) features a Kryptonite ring worn by Lex Luthor. * Superman: The Animated Series (1996-2000) offers an explanation of the effect of the material on Superman. This series and The New Batman Adventures (1997-1999) showcase a three-part crossover story arc called World's Finest that demonstrates the effect of Kryptonite poisoning on humans. * Justice League (2001-2004) explores the same theme. * In Batman Beyond (1999-2001) the two-part episode "The Call" reveals Kryptonite has been kept safe in the distant future as a deterrent against Superman due to the hero's past as a rogue agent under Darkseid's mind manipulation. * Krypto the Superdog (2005-2006) features Green, Red and even a purple-spotted variation. * Legion of Super Heroes (2006-2008) features Green. * Young Justice (2010-2013) featured Green Kryptonite in the episode "Auld Acquaintance". * In Batman: The Brave and the Bold episode "Battle of the Superheroes!", Superman is infected with a Red Kryptonite necklace secretly given to Lois Lane by Lex Luthor which causes Superman to become evil. Now Batman must work with Krypto the Superdog to hold off Superman until the effects of the Red Kryptonite wear off. Films * Superman (1978) Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman) deduces that a meteorite found in Addis Ababa is actually a radioactive piece of the exploded planet Krypton. Luthor uses the mineral to weaken Superman (Christopher Reeve), who is saved by Luthor's lover Eve Teschmacher (Valerie Perrine). * Superman III (1983) billionaire Ross Webster (Robert Vaughn) orders the creation of synthetic Kryptonite. Computer programmer Gus Gorman (Richard Pryor) uses tar to compensate for an unknown component of Kryptonite, causing the newly created mineral to eventually turn Superman evil and split the hero into two beings. Gorman's "supercomputer" later fights Superman and uses a Kryptonite ray. * Superman Returns (2006) Lex Luthor (Kevin Spacey) steals the Addis Ababa L9 Pallasite Meteorite and uses Kryptonite to create a new Kryptonian landmass and a dagger for use against Superman. * Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths (2010) an alternate universe version of Lex Luthor uses Blue Kryptonite against the villain Ultraman. * Justice League: Doom (2012) the villain Metallo wounds Superman with a Kryptonite bullet, but he is saved by the JLA. * Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) Kryptonite is discovered by men working for Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg) at the bottom of the Indian Ocean and experimented with by Luthor, who learns of its harmful effect on Kryptonians when the corpse of General Zod is exposed to it. Kryptonite is stolen from Luthor by Batman (Ben Affleck), who uses the Kryptonite to create Kryptonite gas pellets and a Kryptonite-tipped spear, both of which he later uses in battle with Superman (Henry Cavill). Doomsday is also shown to be weakened by Kryptonite, allowing Superman to use the spear to kill him in the film's climax. Video games * Superman: Atari 2600 (1978) Luthor has created Kryptonite satellites and scattered them around Metropolis that take away Superman's ability to fly when touched. Superman must then walk around Metropolis until he finds and meets Lois Lane, to regain his powers. * Superman 64 (1999) appears as Kryptonite fog, coined as an excuse for the game's poor draw distance. * Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes (2012) Kryptonite is used to power Lex Luthor's weapon the "Deconstructor". * Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure (2013) showcases the material in different forms. * Kryptonite is one of the foundation elements in Lego Dimensions. * Injustice: Gods Among Us (2013) features a Kryptonite laser designed as a failsafe against Superman should he go against humanity. In the alternate timeline, the laser was created by Batman, but he sealed the weapon in the Batcave and programmed the Kryptonite laser to only be accessible when he was accompanied by four other members of the Justice League - Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, Green Arrow and Aquaman - to ensure that he couldn't make the decision to kill Superman himself, requiring him to bring in the heroes of an alternate universe to help him when Green Arrow was killed and the other three joined Superman's team. Although Lex Luthor attempts to deploy the laser against Superman, who is returning from low orbit, Shazam (who is another of Superman's allies) prevents him from firing before Lex is killed by Superman. * Gold and Green Kryptonite appear in the story mode of Injustice 2. Firestorm creates a Gold Kryptonite knife for Batman to fight against Superman, and Batman reveals this in the final battle after Brainiac is defeated and Superman prepares to kill Brainiac. Batman manages to get several swipes off Superman, temporarily depowering him before Superman knocks the knife out of his hand. Wonder Woman (still allied with Superman) then recovers the knife and the sword is not seen again. Green Kryptonite is not explicitly mentioned by name, although several of Batman's costume pieces feature luminous green lighting, and one of his moves features a punch with a green crystalline substance that shatters afterward, both heavily implied to be Green Kryptonite. Serials Columbia Pictures produced two 15-part motion picture serials that used Kryptonite as a plot device: Superman (1948) and Atom Man vs. Superman (1950). Music Songs: * "Kryptonite" by 3 Doors Down (2000). * "Kryptonite (I'm on It)" by rap group Purple Ribbon All-Stars (2006). * "Fashion Is My Kryptonite" by Bella Thorne and Zendaya (2012). * "Ready or Not" by Bridgit Mendler (2012). * "Shut Up and Dance" by Walk the Moon (2014). * "Get Your Cape On" by Jordyn Kane (2015). * Pocket Full of Kryptonite, a 1991 album by Spin Doctors. The album's title is drawn from a line in the song "Jimmy Olsen's Blues", which is featured on the album. * In the title track for his album Ten Feet Tall and Bulletproof, Travis Tritt sings about picking a fight when he feel's like Superman "only to find my opponent is holding Kryptonite". * The Genesis song The Carpet Crawlers mentions Kryptonite: "Mild-mannered Supermen are held in Kryptonite…" In real life The mining group Rio Tinto found an unusual specimen in a mine near Jadar in Serbia, which mineralogist Chris Stanley identified as sodium lithium boron silicate hydroxide, an almost inert, white, mostly harmless substance that nevertheless fluoresces a pinkish-orange when exposed to ultraviolet light. Since "kriptonite" already existed as a fictional name, the specimen was called "Jadarite" in honor of the place where the mineral was first found. References External links * The Superman Homepage's section on kryptonite * Howstuffworks.com: "How Kryptonite Works" Category:Superman Category:1943 in comics